Category Archives: Beauty

Well it has been almost an entire month since my last post.. whoops. So, without rehashing my failures, here’s the best stuff this last month had to offer me.

At the beginning of this month my Dad and I went to see The Finest Hours. I knew I wanted to see this movie purely because it was set in the 1950’s, so I knew I’d love the sets, makeup, hair, and costuming. It also happens to be about a true life historical event, another thing I’m into. The plot was basically about a very small group of coast guardsmen who are sent out on an impossible mission. Well, spoiler alert, this is a Disney movie. THANK GOD. I had seen not-Disney movie after not-Disney movie and I was getting seriously sick of leaving the movie theater feeling worse than when I came in. I mean, really, can something good happen for once?! Well, it’s a Disney movie, so by default, there is a happy ending. Again, THANK GOD. Oh and also, tons of hotties. 10 out of 10, would recommend.

Did you think this guy was apart of The Finest Hour cast? While he certainly looks the part, this babe was actually living in the 1950’s. My music obsession of February has oddly enough been a jazz musician, Chet Baker. He plays mostly trumpet along with a few other instruments, and does some super sexy singing. February is tough because you know nicer weather is just around the corner, but your winter blues are clinging on for dear life. I just haven’t been in the mood to listen to anything with lyrics, or acoustic guitar, or anything that might invoke any negative emotion. My buddy Chet has been exactly what I’ve needed to avoid all that, not to mention TOTAL HOTTIE. Wow, so many hotties this month.

It wouldn’t be a favorites without makeup, now would it? I bought my first Colour Pop lipstick this month.. clearly should have gotten on that train a long time ago. I went for Lumiere 2 in the Ultra Matte Lip, which is sort of a dark mauve-y purple-y color. Looks like this on my lips. Certainly lives up to all the hype it’s getting in the online beauty world. I would however mention to anyone who goes ahead and purchases one of these beauties, make sure to check your teeth after you eat. The color holds great, but it does flake a little so you can end up with a serious case of lipstick teeth.

My second beauty favorite is this Jordana blush in Rose Silk. Not a lot to say to say about this product other than it’s amazing. Great color payoff, long lasting, no smell, basically everything you want in a blush.

My absolute favorite thing of the month is this (fictional) mini series on YouTube by Nike, Margot vs. Lily. It’s about 2 sisters who challenge each other to basically achieve what the other already has. Margot, to create a successful YouTube fitness channel, and Lily, to make new friends. It’s hilarious, relatable, and really well made. The script will make you laugh, the set will make you want to redecorate, and the characters will make you want to workout and then eat potato chips. Besides the series itself, with each episode they have actually made a super short of Lily’s channel. Of course, this is advertising for Nike, so they encourage you to download their Nike+ Training App. I did and let me tell you, that little app can kick your ass.

I hope you checkout one or two of my favorites from this month, you won’t be disappointed. I made a calendar of potential posts for March, so.. I might post more than twice this month.. WATCH OUT WORLD!

Every year I am amazed by how generous my family and friends are. I wanted to share a few of the gifts I received both as a way to say thank you, but also just to show off my sweet new stuff. People in the blogosphere always say ‘I’m not trying to brag’ when they share their gifts.. I’m totally bragging. Look at how amazing my family and friends are, and how well they know me, and how now I have all this sweet stuff. BRAGGIN’! That doesn’t mean I’m not super grateful and humbled, duh.

All the way from the Great State of Texas, my cousin Patty sent me this makeup travel roll.. WITH MY NAME ON IT!! I don’t care how old I get, anything with my name embroidered on it is immediately like 10 times fancier and makes me feel like a princess. She also included a few items already in the roll, such as nail polish, mascara, and lotion. This baby is super practical for a makeup crazy person like myself. I even travel with a mirror and, depending on length of stay, a cup for my brushes. My obsession with makeup is even crazier than my obsession with Christmas. THANK YOU PATTY AND TONY!

This sweet little pencil case is from my dear friend Jessica. To be honest, it’s not the coolest gift she got me. She bought me this little baby shelf that you hang on the wall and then you can put lipsticks or compacts on it. It was sort of a weird thing to take a picture of, so I used the case as a filler. Another practical gift related to makeup. Did I mention these people know me so well? THANKS JESS!!

Without fail, my brother Sye sent me some Aesop. I’m addicted to this brand. For Christmas, he sent me Remove, their eye makeup remover. You can use Remove with just water or add a few drops into your cleanser to help beef up the removal process for stubborn makeup. Goodbye lash glue. Are we seeing a theme here? THANKS SYE!

Oh look, something not makeup related! Alright if I had to give away all my presents except one, or if this was a competition, these boots.. I can’t. My Mom nailed it. I probably wouldn’t have even tried these boots on, because as a lady who is 5’9″ I just automatically avoid heals. I am so glad that my Mom took the ‘risk’. I’ve worn them almost everyday since Christmas Eve. THANKS MOM AND DAD!!

Oh hello another practical gift. So I have the Camelback water bottle that everyone and their Mom has (literally, my Mom has one), but it sucks. It makes fart noises when you drink out of it and it leaks. I haven’t used this yet, but the mouthpiece locks down, there’s a bit so you can clip it on things, and the straw unscrews instead of just being able to pull it out. I’m thinkin’ this Contigo is going to be a winner. THANKS MOM AND DAD!

And lastly, THIS STOCKING. How flippin’ adorable!! I saw this on Kate’s Instagram and almost went out bought one, but I figured my Mom would probably get me one, because … crazy cat lady (wow, I’m crazy about a lot of stuff). Kate Brennan Hall has like a million adorable prints, but I’m officially calling this one my favorite of all time. I also got 2 sets of cards with the same print, I’m framing one to have out at all times. THANKS MOM!

This is not even half of my gifts, and I literally love all of them, but for sake of not looking like a spoiled brat I just shared a few. I hope you enjoyed! I will be back with some reviews of other things I got such as a new planner and a couple books.

I hope you were as happy with your Christmas gifts as I was. What did you get? What was your favorite item that you gave to someone? I bought my BFF’s new purses because they’ve literally had the same ones the entire time we’ve been friends. I think I they both loved them. I love practical gifts.

There is something special about the start of a new month. This month in particular feels like the start of a new season as well. I think most people associate September with the beginning of fall, but last month my tomatoes were still providing lunch on a daily basis, I was wearing shorts and flipflops, and drinking anything pumpkin flavor sounded revolting… Still kind of does. So October claims fall this year for me. I wanted to share a few things I’ve been enjoying lately, random pictures that I’ve yet to post, and some general updates.

C&C Music Factory headlined at Cedar Valley Pride Fest this year. It was raining, but nothing can stop Pride attendees from dancing.

I have been fully addicted to television. It’s a great way to focus less on the quietness of my house, and it servers as an excellent distraction from the stress of college. In terms of teen dramas, I would highly recommend Pretty Little Liars and Switched at Birth. But, if you’re looking for something with a little more quality, I can’t say enough good things about NARCOS. It’s a Netflix original about the criminal exploits of Columbian drug lord, Pablo Escobar. There’s drama, drugs, murder, and lots of amazing scenes set by swimming pools in the mountains/jungles of Columbia. What more do you want?

A shot from our Super Blood Lunar Eclipse Watch Party. I took this shot through our spotting scope.

Onto beauty products, because what would any kind of synopsis of my current life be without a beauty product or two. Number one favorite product at the moment is the L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation. If you’re a beauty product junkie, YOU NEED THIS IN YOUR LIFE. It’s real matte, as in really matte. But doesn’t result in chalk face. It’s buildable, long lasting, yada yada yada. Yah need it. But buy it at Target or Walmart, it’s cheaper. You’re welcome.

Visiting my favorite Des Moines girlies.

Next product you need in your life, CoverGirl The Super Sizer mascara. Can someone please explain how they name mascaras? I mean I’m sure it’s a difficult job, but.. The Super Sizer? No. Names aside, this mascara is fabulous. It’s got one of those itty bitty tiny wands, so if big clumpy lashes are your thing, don’t buy this. But if you like 10,000 tiny fairy lashes, winner! Doesn’t flake, a zillion lashes, new favorite.

I can’t believe I had a tiny part in this flower showing up in my yard. Zinnias may be replacing the peony as my favorite flower.

October has been great thus far, and we are only seven days in! I’ve got almost every weekend filled with fun this month, so I’m going to push myself to blog about all of the adventures. I know in a few short months I will truly cherish being able to look back at all of the fun I had with my friends.

Ipsy is a personalized monthly make-up subscription bag. When you first sign-up for Ipsy you answer a series of questions from hair and eye color, to fashion, to this makeup vs. that hair product. You can retake this survey at any time during your subscription if your answers change (like hair color, or a suddenly obsession with lipstick). The website then generates a profile for you, and at this point you officially sign up to receive your Glam Bag.

The following month you will be charged $10, and every month after that until you cancel your subscription. Sometime around the middle of each month you will receive your Glam Bag in the mail!

So what makes Ipsy different than other cosmetic subscription bags? First and foremost, the cost. Ipsy is one of the least expensive subscription bags out there. Each month you get 5 products. You typically get at least one full size product in your bag, which is almost always equal to or greater than the cost of the bag. On average the bags are between a $40 and $60 value. AND each month’s products come in an actual useable bag.

Ipsy, like every other brand in the world, is very social media connected. Each month there are hashtags that you can use on whatever social media you like. By using the hashtags and tagging Ipsy, you are entered to win a cash prize. I always do this because, hello! free prizes, but also because sometimes brands will comment on your photos! It makes me feel famous.

Many subscription bags come with coupons or offers for the products in the bag. Ipsy’s offers are located on their website (how green of them). They publish new offers every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 9:00am PT. There are often only a limited number so if you want it, get it! Additionally Ipsy offers a point system to earn rewards. You can review products, share your reviews, review your Glam Bag, share your Ipsy subscription, etc., to earn points. Those points can be used to add additional products to your bag.

Lastly, Ipsy has a YouTube channel where beauty gurus give tips, and tutorials. The products used in the videos can found in that month’s Glam Bag, or are products that Ipsy is currently offering a deal for on their website.

So that’s what Ipsy is. I would highly recommend it, especially if you’ve never tried a subscription service before. The products are always pretty diverse, and great quality. I also like that they are often from lesser known brands. It’s great way help expose smaller brands, and just because they may not be as popular does not mean they aren’t excellent products!

If you are interested signing up for Ipsy, please click HERE for my referral link!

Do you use a monthly subscription service? Leave a comment below with your favorites!

P.S. If you like a product be sure to check out the brand’s Instagram page. They often share a coupon code related to Ipsy around the time subscribers reiceve their bags!

I’m a material girl, no qualms about it. May means birthday presents, and for the last 3 months I have been receiving a makeup subscription box called Ipsy. So, here are some of the things, mostly provided by my birthday or Ipsy, that I have been using and loving throughout the month of May.

Glamoureyes Mascara – Stila
When my Aunt Sue (an infamous gift giver) asked me what I wanted for my birthday, I said makeup. Next thing I know there is a box of Stila products at my door. She killed it. This mascara has been my new favorite, replacing my Two Faced Better Than Sex. I like my lashes to look full and thick, even a little on the messy side. I want it to be obvious that I am wearing mascara, like Hello Lashes! Mascara and brows are the 2 things I have to wear everyday.

Into The Wild Body Spray – Bath and Body Works
I got this several semi-annual sales ago, and it has since been my go-to summer scent. I tried to find it on their website, but I think it has been discontinued. You know they re-bottle/brand their scents under different names though, so I’m sure there is something very close. You can also purchase it on Amazon. I’m not even going to try and describe, just know I love it, and you should buy it for yourself because it’s nice, and then we could all smell the same and start some kind of smell-good club.

LipPerfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in Haute Pink Twist – CovergirlI think I paid maybe $2.00 for this. Sale price at Target. Gotta love those sale bins on the back end caps by the toothpaste, or hate them because you buy things like mousse foundation that has glitter in it.. that was a waste of money. But this! This was not a waste. I love the formula of these gloss balms, very smooth and moisturizing. They have pretty good color payoff, but they aren’t too bright. You know, so it’s not like whoa, LIPS! More like, soft pretty pink lips.

Eye Shadow in Kitten – StilaBAM! This eyeshadow. Yah need it. Best browbone highlight. I have seen so many great tutorials using this. Kitten is slightly sparkly, but not too sparkley, and it works with both warm and cool tones. YAH NEED IT! I also like to wear this all over my lid with a light brown in my crease on days were I’m not going all out. Thanks again Aunt Sue. Did I mention she killed it?

If you are coloring your hair a “fantasy” color, and you’ve done your research, you know Pravana. Pravana is professional color, so if you are not a professional, you will have to find yourself one to buy you this good-good. My amazing stylist/colorist/all-around great friendist, Jacqueline gave this to me for my birthday. This color makes your hair SO (insert color here). My hair is violet, which is why I’ve been wearing mainly cool tones. I can warm warm tones now, but prior to my four hair washes, my hair was so freaking purple, that I much preferred cool tones. I could go on and on about how obsessed with my own hair I was (still am), since using this color. OBSESSED. HAIR FLIP.

Blush in Charmed – Hikari
This folks, is why I decided to invest in a subscription box service. This is a full size blush that cost $15 (plus whatever shipping is), and the Ipsy bag cost $10 a month. I want new products all the time, so the subscription box has totally saved me some money. Not to mention try brands that I normally wouldn’t. ANYWAY, the blush. This blush is pigmented as heck, like watch yourself because you might end up look like a little miss pageant girl. This color a cool toned pink, which is great because usually pinks around this shade can look too warm and coral-y.

Leggings in Black – New Mix
My Mom bought these for me my birthday. I can’t direct you where to buy them, because she bought them for me at a boutique in Michigan. BUT in case you ever run into them someplace, you should grab a pair or two. These are fairly thin, so it’s something you’d want to wear with a dress over it, to totally cover your bum. I like them because while they aren’t tights, which constantly fall down on me, you can still slightly see my tattoos through, and thus they are breathable. Only downside, you can’t dry them, so if you’re like me, you really have to try and remember to pull them out at the end of the wash cycle. They are one-size fits all, which totally freaked me out, but they do in fact fit my big ole booty.

Authentic Lo Pro in Black – Vans
My most favorite shoes ever. I have them in teal as well, but I needed the black and white so I could wear them with everything. These shoes are comfortable, and stylin’. I would choose these over Converse, because they have more support and are a little more durable.

Those were my favorite products of May. I hope I’ve encouraged you to add them to your wish-list, they are absolutely worth it. If you have any questions, please ask in the comments below!